Co-operative Energy achieves full marks in first year for renewables mix

Posted on 6 August 2012

Co-operative Energy has achieved a perfect score for its renewable energy mix. One hundred percent of the electricity provided to its customers in the year ending March 2012 was sourced from renewable generators, such as wind, hydro and biomass. The 100 per cent achievement has been reached in the firm’s first year of operation.

In achieving the wholly renewable fuel mix, Co-operative Energy, which launched in May 2011, has exceeded its low carbon target, namely to supply electricity containing less than half the national average of carbon by April 2012 .

Co-operative Energy currently sources electricity from a range of different types of low renewable energy generators, including two community-owned wind farms at Harlock Hill and Westmill.

Harlock Hill was Britain's first co-operatively owned wind power project near Ulverston in Cumbria, on an open stretch of windswept farmland overlooking Morecambe Bay. It is a 2.5 MW wind farm and consists of five turbines, each rated at 500kW producing enough clean electricity each year to meet the average needs of 1,100 typical homes.

Westmill wind farm was the first wholly community-owned wind farms to be built in the south east of England. Co-operative Energy customers benefit from clean, cost effective energy generated onsite in Oxfordshire from five 1.3 MW wind turbines. The turbines first became operational in 2008 and provide enough green electricity to power more than 2,500 average homes.

Nigel Mason of Co-operative Energy said: “We have remained very committed to playing our part in tackling climate change since our launch a year ago. At launch, we made a public pledge to ensure that, by April 2012, the carbon content of our electricity would be less than half the national average. It’s a great achievement to source our electricity entirely from renewable sources, especially in our first year as an energy provider.

"As we grow, we will have to stay open-minded about sourcing our electricity from non-renewable generators, whilst choosing renewable wherever possible. We believe that a multi-pronged approach to energy supply is needed if the UK is to meet its climate change targets in the medium term.”

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